Designed for fans of Saturday Night Live, fans of Disney Animation might want to take a listen to David Spade and Dana Carvey’s Fly on the Wall podcast where a listener's question reveals a bit of information about the origins of The Emperor’s New Groove.
What’s Happening:
- Though primarily focused on their time (or their guest’s) at Saturday Night Live, comedians Dana Carvey and David Spade host a podcast, Fly on the Wall, that also delves into some of their other projects.
- One particular episode may be of note to fans of Walt Disney Animation Studios and their long history of projects, especially if they are fans of the tumultuous tale of the film, Kingdom of the Sun, which inevitably became The Emperor’s New Groove.
- During a listener questions segment on an early episode featuring comedian and SNL alum, Dennis Miller, an inquiry is posed that Spade himself states, “that’s a separate podcast.” The question: “Can you please tell us everything about The Emperor’s New Groove experience?”
- Spade, who famously provided the voice of Kuzco in the cult-classic film, seems exasperated at the thought of explaining but dives in, saying bluntly, “It started out me, Owen (Wilson), Carla Gugino. It was The Prince and the Pauper. She was the queen. I was a prince or whatever, maybe she was a princess, I was going to marry her I guess. Me and Owen, we were going to switch places.” He goes on to explain that they had been working on that for a year and half, and after explaining hearsay that he had heard, explains the whole idea that an executive saw it, hated it, and scrapped it. Keeping only the idea of a talking llama.
- Spade also mentions others involved, including Eartha Kitt, Patrick Warburton, and a soundtrack by Sting, adding that there is even a separate film – “Trudy did a documentary.” Trudy being Trudy Styler, Sting’s wife who made the film, The Sweatbox, that can occasionally be found in corners of the internet, but is otherwise locked away by The Walt Disney Company. While the summary he gives is fairly quick, he adds that “It was ANOTHER year and a half” and that he “got really crabby by the end. We were just making up stuff as we went.”
- While not talking about the filmmaking process for Kingdom of the Sun/The Emperor’s New Groove (which you can read about in our article here) Spade and Carvey discuss their animated voiceover roles. Spade obviously as Kuzco, and Carvey citing his role in The Secret Life of Pets franchise, prompting Carvey to add, “We have a ride, do you have a ride!?” Shockingly to some, Spade says that “there are some drawings and some sketches” of a potential attraction, but doesn’t elaborate much further than that. Carvey adds that he was told that more people will ride the ride than will ever see the movie, adding that he gets “a little taste of the action” via residual checks for the Universal Studios ride.
- Spade, frustratedly, laments the lack of attraction adding that The Emperor’s New Groove DID NOT pay for the house they were recording the podcast in. Earlier in the segment, he also says he wasn’t paid much for his performance and it was touted more as “being an honor” to be a part of a Disney film, and Spade says he was “last of the honors” since this was just before Shrek, which ended up with huge box office payouts and big fiscal deals for cast members like Eddie Murphy, Mike Myers, and Cameron Diaz.
- When The Emperor’s New Groove was released back in December of 2000, the movie opened grossing just under $10 million, taking back less than 10% of its $100 million budget. Globally to date, it has earned over $169 million, and has become a fan-favorite film with many citing how different it was compared to other Disney fare of the era as to why they enjoy it so much.
- Spade himself liked the end result, saying he was at the premiere wondering “am I out of my mind, or is this [expletive deleted] hilarious?” He later concluded, “I did it and then I was so happy I did it because I really liked it and I got good reviews for the only time in my life… I love it, and I appreciate all the people that like it out there, and I was lucky to be in it.”
- To hear the segment in full, check out the episode of Fly in the Wall podcast below, and for more information about the development of Kingdom of the Sun and The Emperor’s New Groove, as well the documentary, The Sweatbox, check out our 20th anniversary article, “KuscoDystopia: The Origins of The Emperor’s New Groove.”
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